


a knight to remember, AKA how the three of us met!, or BETTER TITLE PENDING

by liasangria, thescyfychannel



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Knights - Freeform, Magic, Multi, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 15:05:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11534709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liasangria/pseuds/liasangria, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thescyfychannel/pseuds/thescyfychannel
Summary: Being a knight in the kingdom of Arietis was something very close to a death sentence, if "death" was translated as "incredibly weird shit", and "sentence" meant "life which you had trained for and aspired to". So nothing like a death sentence at all, really—as long as you kept well away from the assorted insanity that the fresh air and sunshine seemed to bring out in just about everyone.And by everyone, you meant the magic users.





	a knight to remember, AKA how the three of us met!, or BETTER TITLE PENDING

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stripe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stripe/gifts).



Magic ran in weird ways. Some said it was primarily bloodline best, others said it was more like skipping stones down the length and breadth of a family tree. Extended metaphors got weird, hereabouts, but you knights didn't much complain, considering that your queen herself was something of a witch. Power ran where power did, and complaining got you into the kinds of trouble that made your sister tilt her head and pull half a smile up on her lips in a knowing sort of way–

Of course, there were exceptions to every rule, and one of them was currently glaring balefully over the horizon.

Karkat Vantas, one of the best knights in the kingdom. The two of you were evenly matched, in so many fields and so many ways, ways you didn't quite care to count or recount to the strict training masters that had turned the two of you from boys into men. Besides, you worked together well enough that you'd been a matched set since the paint on your shields had dried. It gave you an opportunity to be close to him, and to keep him from being unbearably stupid—such as when he decided to do something like gripe about magic users.

 

"I don't see why we have to go out of our way for some crazy witch who talks to frogs and stars," he grumbles. “She’s probably going to be a ditz and a half. Always falling into rivers and tripping over ditches.” You'd remind him that the walls have ears when witches are listening, that he needs to be careful with what he says, and that he could get the both of you in trouble, but. He's really fuckin' adorable when he pouts like that, okay?

You settle for something a bit more neutral. "It's an order from the queen, Vantas. Not all witches are crazy, and she said that this Harley person is a damn good one too."  
"I don't know," Karkat says, and it half comes out a growl, on account of who he is as a person, "I think she's biased."

"Our glorious and most radiant queen. Biased. How ever could you think such a terrible thing. Gasp. Her flagrant affair with that storm magic using prince and the kingdom's mage aside, how could she ever be biased."  
Okay. So maybe you need to remember that the walls have ears too. So stab you, tweaking his nose is more than worth it.

 

"It's a job from the queen," you remind him, and ruffle his hair up, just the way that he hates it. "Can't exactly say no to this."

Karkat grumbles, as if he's contemplating doing just that. The both of you know he won't, he's even more of a loyalist than you are, it runs deep in his blood and bones. Either way, he's in the courtyard bright and early to set off on your trek, even as you're squinting in the sunlight.

Your first impression of the witch is...unusual.

For one, she's got a fair bit of an advantage over you, and for two, not all of it comes from the dog ears planted squarely atop her head. It's...not exactly the best first impression. Especially when said ears twitch twice, at Karkat's bag falling off his shoulder with a thump.

"Dave," he hisses under his breath, as you stand up, ramrod straight, attempting not to draw her attention, "she has dog ears."

And apparently, they work just fine. Harley grins, turning towards the two of you, her ears twitching again. "Experiment gone wrong! Anything else you'd like to say, boys?"

 

Clockwork bones, she's taller than you and looks like she could pick you up easy. Right now, you're not even sure why she needs bodyguards. You're also not sure you're not blushing. Fuck.

 

You almost lose track of time over introductions, something incredibly rare, and can’t seem to find any words, something even more rare. What you do remember, though...

Jade, the witch's name is Jade, deep green as green as the green of her eyes (and honestly you think you could easily get yourself lost in forest jade green with no hope of ever finding your way back–), winks at you as if she can tell what you’re thinking, and invites you into her house. It's almost as weird as she is, as this whole thing is, and it's much bigger on the inside of the place than it is on the outside. You're mildly offended. What the fuck.

 

Once you’re inside the witch’s house (as horribly weird as it is) it’s a little bit easier to get your head settled. Karkat’s unusually quiet too, and you’d half wonder if Jade hadn’t cast some spell, if it weren’t for the fact that Her Majesty had promised neither of you would be magic’d, and had spelled your armor herself.

Jade brews up some tea. Or had it brewing, you’re not sure, either way it’s in steaming cups a little too fast for your liking, by your count, and she’s already added milk and sugar to it. It’s perfect. Karkat petulantly dumps another cube of sugar in, staring her right in the eyes, and has to hide the cringe that runs through him at the over-sweetened tea. Her eyes light the fuck right up, and you nearly groan—honestly, thank the gods for armor.

"Now then," she says, looking the two of you over like she's interrogating and investigating every corner of your soul, "let's get this out of the way! While the queen was incredibly sweet to offer your services, I don't need protection. I can handle things on my own! So we're going to lay out some ground rules, to keep the two of you from getting in my way. Understood?"  
Even as dumbfounded as you are by her sheer everything, you already know this is going to end badly, and you can't help but cast a glance over at Mount Karkat. Oh boy. This is going to be fun.

**Author's Note:**

> there will be more forthcoming!!


End file.
